Dog friendly trails+camping in California

[Konrad .]

I'm visiting home for a couple of weeks this winter season and was hoping to get a quick trip in. I'm hoping to do 8-10 miles day with 1-2 nights camping, but I'm having a tough time figuring out which parks/forests have dog friendly trails…I've been running into a lot of areas where dogs are not permitted on trails and aren't allowed outside of recreational areas or the designated campground.

I'll be in the SoCal area, but I am open to driving up North more, so I'd like to hear all my options. So far, the San Gorgonio wilderness looks promising, although I'm not sure if I can secure a permit on such short notice.

The hiking/camping with a dog thing is pretty new for me, and it's been fantastic so far, but I was pretty bummed to learn that they are not permitted on the trails of any of the national parks. That threw out J-tree for me :/

Thanks all!

[Justin Baker]

Check out Los Padres National Forest, both the southern district and the northern Big Sur district. I have seen plenty of people with dogs there. If you go to any National Park, you aren't going to be able to backpack or hike with your dogs. National forests are good to go for dogs.

[Ken Thompson]

CA makes it hard. Usually no National Parks, State Parks.

Stick with BLM or National Forest lands.

[Backpack Jack]

National Parks suck when it comes to being dog friendly, heck sometimes even people friendly, make me carry a bear cannister!!!! Bah hum bug. Try the Eastern side of the Sierra, and like most have said BLM ,and National Forest. Sespe Creek also allows dogs.

Jack

[Nico .]

Southern Los Padres is perfect… It's relatively close to LA (about ~1 hour north to the closest parts behind Ojai/Fillmore), dogs are allowed in the entire forest and no permits (for camping, etc.) required.

Happy to give you some ideas on actual trails/destinations if needed.

[Author]

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